Nucleophiles and Electrophiles

Nucleophilic substitution reactions

Replace a leaving group in an electrophilic substance with a nucleophile.

Heterolytic cleavage

Where the leaving group takes both electrons from the bond that connected it to the electrophile.

SN2 Mechanism

Where nucleophile attacks the electrophilic carbon at the same time that the leaving group leaves, causing the attack to occur from the backside of the substrate in a single step.

Inversion of configuration

Always the case in an SN2 reaction on a chiral substance, where stereochemical configuration flips after the nucleophilic attack.

SN1 Substitution

Occurs in two distinct steps, with the formation of a planar carbocation where the leaving group falls off (slow step). Then racemization occurs as the nucleophile attacks equally on either side of the carbocation, resulting in a racemic mixture. Need non-basic and weaker nucleophiles for reaction

Alkane combustion

Occurs when alkanes are combined with sufficient oxygen under the right conditions and are completely oxidized to carbon dioxide and water products. Extremely exothermic, with large amounts of heat released.

Halogenation

Using chlorine or bromine catalyzed by UV radiation or high temperatures transforms these compounds into haloalkanes.

Monomolecular elimination (E1)

Exhibit first-order kinetics and consist of a two-step process, involved the formation of an intermediate carbocation resulting from the loss of a water molecule or halogen. Then the loss of a proton by reaction with a strong base adjacent to the carbocation leads to the alkane product.

Bimolecular Elimination (E2)

Exhibit second order kinetics and occur in a single step, a proton is abstracted from a carbon next to a carbon with a leaving group. As the proton is abstracted again by a strong base, the remaining electron pair moves between the adjacent carbons and the leaving group departs with a pair of electrons.

Syn alkene reactions

The addition reactions add to the same side of a double or triple bond.

Anti alkene reactions

The addition reactants add to the opposite sides of a double or triple bond.

Diels-Alder reaction

An unusual addition process that proceeds by either a polar or radical mechanism, useful reaction for snthesizing organic compounds that contain rings.